Blockchain Goes Hollywood
As famous as I am (ha ha jokes), there are people much more “A list” than I am that have also caught the blockchain bug… or that crypto cold.
Hahahahahhhahaha blockchain bug, crypto cold, idk how I think of these things.
Anyways, here are some celebs that you probably had no idea were involved in the blockchain world.
Paris Hilton + Daddy Hilton
Oh you already KNOW my girl Paris has been spotted on the blockchain train. Back in 2017, Paris Hilton publicly endorsed the ICO LydianCoi by Gravity4. Miss. Hilton tweeted and insta’d about it with hashtags like #BlockChain, #CryptoCurrency, and #ThisIsNotAnAd… but sadly, they have been since taken down. Why? Well, let’s just say some reports came out about Gravity4 LydianCoin’s chief executive and incidents of domestic abuse… not really something you want to be shown supporting, even though it’s no reflection on Paris or the actual coin.
Since then, she personally has stayed relatively quiet. Her Dad, on the other hand, decided to join the crypto world earlier this summer when he announced he was selling a $38 million dollar mansion through a cryptocurrency auction. Okay, but really LOOK at THIS MANSION! The official name is the Palazzetto mansion in Rome, Italy complete with 11 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, 3 kitchens, it’s own movie theatre, a spa, a gym, and more. The auction took place on June 28, 2018 and people were allowed to bid in US dollars or cryptocurrency. Mr. Hilton himself even said, “The auction shows real estate’s growing trust in blockchain and provides crypto investors an opportunity to diversify and solidify their portfolio with a trophy asset.” Basically, if the Hilton’s are trusting blockchain, then I am too.
Floyd Mayweather
Floyd “Crypto” Mayweather. Yes, the all time boxer has dubbed himself Floyd “Crypto” Mayweather. Surprised? Hardly. Anyways, Mayweather has backed multiple ICOs and not all good. In fact, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken legal actions against him after he received hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for their promotions. According to a press release on the SEC’s website, the SEC settled charges “for failing to disclose payments… for promoting investments in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs).” In fact, it was when he tweeted “You can call me Floyd Crypto Mayweather from now” that SEC believed he was receiving over $200,000+ from ICO promotional payments the he wasn’t disclosing.
For Floyd “Money” Mayweather (another self dubbed nickname), this was probably more like a rounding error… being the highest paid athlete multiple years in a row must have its perks.
DJ Khaled
Just like Mayweather, DJ Khaled was also caught up in the recent ICO SEC scandal. The SEC’s press release said the two were involved with Centra Tech Inc. and Khaled was supposedly paid $50,000. He tweeted about Centra’s ICO launch calling it a “game changer” and “the ultimate winner in Cryptocurrency debit cards.” Just like Mayweather, DJ Khaled chose to settle the case without going to court. Oh, and aside from hefty fines, Khaled had to accept a ban from all securities promotions for two years (Mayweather for three).
Akon
I wanna make… a real-life Wakanda… right now, now, now. Wait, what? Yes, our favorite “Smack That” singer, Akon, wants to create a town just like Wakanda from the movie Black Panther. At a recent blockchain panel, “Branding Africa: Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, and Empowering the Future”, Akon explains his vision for a “real like Wakanda” based around his own cryptocurrency, AKoin. Basically, he wants to build his own city in Senegal where AKoin will act as the central form of exchange. He seems to believe blockchain and crypto could be “the savior for Africa in many ways” thanks to how secure it is and since the government isn’t involved. Check out the official Akoin website. Apparently, the planned community would be called Akon Crypto City.
“This futuristic city[,] already in development, beginning with 2,000 acres of land gifted to Akon from the President of Senegal, is within 5 minutes of the new international airport, close to the coast and a short drive from Dakar, the capital city of Senegal. Akon Crypto City blends leading Smart City planning designs with a blank canvas for cryptonizing our daily human and business exchanges, towards inventing a radical new way of existence.” -- ICO Impact Group
Anyone else trying to move?
Mel B
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta… use Bitcoin to listen to this Spice Girl’s music. Let’s talk about a TRENDSETTER! Back in literally 2013/2014, former Spice Girl, Mel B, was the first artist to officially accept bitcoin payments for her new single at the time, “For Once in My Life”, through a partnership with a company called Cloud Hashing. She said, “I love how new technology makes our lives easier, and to me that’s exciting. Bitcoin unites my fans around the world using one currency. They can just pay using bitcoins!”
** Can we also just remember back in 2013 when Snoop Dogg tweeted: “My next record available in bitcoin n delivered in a drone.” It was just a better time.
Ashton Kutcher
It’s not a secret that Ashton Kutcher has always seemed to take to new technologies -- blockchain and cryptocurrencies being no different. Part of what I like about Ashton Kutcher is the fact he saw more to bitcoin than just as a means of currency, he saw technology that could change the world -- even back in 2013. He said, “the bigger thing with bitcoin is not bitcoin itself, but what does that decentralized technology really do?... The same infrastructure that built out bitcoin could be used in the security industry for mass good.” And now look at blockchain technology! Security is being used in tons of industries.
Plus, back in May, Ashton Kutcher donated $4 million in cryptocurrency to charity. That charity? The Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund. He donated $4 million in Ripple’s XRP tokens and he exampled that “...can actually transfer [the donation] into Rwandan francs right now, right here, and all we have to do is push this button and it’s in your account.” Pretty sweet donation!
Believe it or not, this is only a small list of all the celebrities who are involved in the blockchain/cryptocurrency space. Others include Gwyneth Paltrow, The Game, Jamie Foxx, Lionel Messi, and more. Hollywood is telling us this technology is cool… what’s holding you back?!
